The 6ES7954-8LP04 is the standard 2 GB Flash-EPROM memory card for SIMATIC S7-1200 and S7-1500 controllers. It provides reliable non-volatile storage for user programs, hardware configurations, recipes, and moderate data logging — the workhorse capacity for machines that need more than a few megabytes but do not require the extremes of 32 GB. The card uses the same 24 × 32 × 2.1 mm form factor shared across the entire S7-1x00 memory card line.

How does this card differ from the 6ES7954-8LP80?

The 6ES7954-8LP04 is the general-purpose 2 GB card. The 6ES7954-8LP80 is a specialized variant validated exclusively for S7-1500T and S7-1500TF Technology CPUs running KinPlus motion control firmware. Electrically, the two cards are similar — both are 3.3V Flash, 2 GB, same physical size. The difference is validation and compliance: the 8LP80 carries Siemens qualification for KinPlus real-time workloads, while the 8LP04 is qualified for standard automation. For any non-Technology CPU, the 8LP04 is the correct and more cost-effective choice.

What level of write endurance does a 2 GB card offer?

The 6ES7954-8LP04 is rated for a minimum of 100,000 write/delete cycles. Data retention is up to 10 years when cumulative write cycles stay under approximately 10,000, decreasing to about 1 year when approaching the 100,000-cycle limit. This is typical for NAND Flash at this density — higher-capacity cards trade some endurance for storage. If your application performs frequent writes, consider a smaller card such as the 4 MB 6ES7954-8LC04, which offers 500,000 cycles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this card to transfer a program from one PLC to another?

Yes. Write the program to the card from the source CPU or a programming device (PG), then insert the card into the target CPU. On power-up, the S7-1200 or S7-1500 will detect the program on the card and offer to load it.

Is the 2 GB card compatible with older S7-1200 firmware?

Firmware V3.0 and later support the 2 GB capacity. Earlier firmware versions are limited to smaller cards — check your CPU diagnostics before upgrading storage.